Molly Parkin
Artist's Biography
Molly Parkin was born in 1932 in Pontycymmer, South Wales. In 1949
she was awarded scholarships to Goldsmith College of Art, London and
Brighton College of Art where she studied a four year Painting NDD course.
She was then awarded two travelling scholarships for further studies
in Italy.
During the 1950s she taught at Silverthorne Secondary Modern School
in Elephant and Castle, London and was assistant to lecturer Herbert
Holt at St Martin’s School of Art evening classes in Portrait
Painting In 1957 she married Michael Parkin, a Belgravia art dealer,
with whom she had two daughters, Sarah in 1958 and Sophie in 1961. It
was at this time that she became a full time artist at the Chelsea Studio
in Old Church Street, London. She regularly showed abstract expressionist
landscapes in mixed exhibitions and her works were purchased by private
collectors.
In 1962 Eric Newton, art critic of The Guardian newspaper at that time,
bought one of her large canvasses, ‘Spring in New York’
from RBA Gallery on behalf of The Contemporary Art Society. It was housed
at Tate Britain before being presented to The Royal Pavilion Art Gallery,
Brighton In 1963 she divorced and worked in worked as Fashion Editor
for Nova, Harpers & Queen and The Sunday Times Newspaper.
I n 1968 Molly married the artist Patrick Hughes and moved to Cornwall
to join friends Terry Frost, Patrick Heron and Roger and Rose Hilton.
She later moved back to London and spent her 50th birthday living in
the Rolling Stones’ mansion on Cheyne Walk with her two daughters.
At the age of 52 she took to the stage and continued to write Now
74, Molly’s painting has taken on a new life more vibrant and
exciting than ever before.
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